Blessed

Erin tickling Bodie's feet while they play in the laundry basket. :) :)

So far we are really enjoying our blog attempts. :)  What amazing blessings we received reading your replies to our email and at the end of our blog.  Thank you for sharing the joys and prayers of your lives, too!  I wonder how we ever stayed in touch before Facebook and blogs and Myspace and email!!!  I think I figured out that you have to either have a Yahoo account or a Google account to "follow" us, but (I think) if you follow us, Google will send you a message each time we post to our blog.  If you don't have a Yahoo or Google account, just add our blog to your bookmarks, and when you think of us, check out our blog from time to time.

It's been a busy week here, but aren't they all?  We have a new roof on our parsonage (thanks, Church!!!) and on the Church and Fellowship Hall as well!  They look amazing, and if you live here, drive by and admire it!  :)  We thank God for His provision and blessings.  Joe has taken lots and lots of pictures which I am sure he will post to the church website (www.southsideperryton.org) and to his facebook account.  He is teaching our church members how to study the Bible, teaching on the book of Amos, and just finished teaching about Jesus feeding the 5000 and the 4000 in the book of Matthew.  The more we learn, the more we want to know about Jesus.   We changed our service time from 11:00 a.m. on Sundays to 10:45 (making Sunday School begin at 9:30), and it seems to be working very well!  He also managed to fit in a few rounds of golf this week, so his week gets a thumbs up. :)


Erin worked on the letter Ii this week, and we made igloos out of marshmallows (well, Daddy and Mommy made them while Erin licked them), made homemade ice cream, ice cream cone cupcakes, and the cutest little iguana craft.  Her memory verse, Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me," has ministered to us all week.  We are realizing that the phonics review is pretty unstimulating for her and that she is really just ready to read, so I am going to look into getting some kindergarten/1st grade readers (if you have any, let me know!).  She enjoyed her dance class so much this week and was so proud that we have to get her bigger tap and ballet shoes!  She spent her last gymnastics class with Mrs. Tammy for awhile -- please join us in prayer for Mrs. Tammy -- she is beginning cancer treatments next week.  Erin got a surprise visit from her "best friend Lisa" this week, and she is looking forward to her Good News Bible Club with her friend Hannah today.  Happiness. :)

Bodie man is a sick little guy today.  But he is all snuggles when he doesn't feel well, which warms this momma's heart.  Some Tylenol, a cool bath, a popsickle, and a tent full of balls have turned his whimpers into squeals of delight.  Joe (what a great man) sacrificed the plans for his day and went to help care for his mom so that hopefully she won't be exposed to whatever Bodie has.  At this moment Bodie is sitting in the middle of his tent throwing balls at his "DiDa" (that's Bodie talk for Sister).  He didn't greet me this morning with his usual "No-No," and he only told me "No-No" twice  yesterday, so maybe that stage is passing (please?).  I am really thinking I need to schedule his first haircut soon but I DON'T want to cut off all his precious little curls...  What to do??? :)

Joe's mom Angie is doing well.  It is an absolute joy to spend our days with her.  She has horrible, horrible swelling which makes her pretty uncomfortable, but her sweet demeanor ministers to us all day long.  She KNOWS that she will spend Eternity in Heaven if the Lord wills for her to die from this, and her love for Him only grows each day in spite of her circumstances.  She is amazing. Her brother, whom we affectionately call Hunkle Harold, is here for awhile too, and we are enjoying him. :)

My precious Momma has a 2nd eye surgery in October and will soon be facing ankle reconstruction and knee replacements in the coming months.  As you pray for us, please pray for her too;  she has a long couple of years in store, but there is relief in sight!  I'm hoping to convince Dad to let her stay with us some while she recovers after each surgery...  Maybe that's the biggest prayer need of all! ;)

I have decided to read my Bible from cover to cover for the first time ever.  I am enjoying that and am already feeling accomplished knowing it is a goal I will fulfill (especially since I haven't put a time limit on it!!!) -- there is nothing better than reading the living and breathing Word of God.  It is a fresh drink of water for this thirsty soul.  As I look at my life, I humbly realize how very much I have to be grateful for. 

Thanks for reading!  Many prayers for blessings to you and yours!

Beginning Blogger

I thought we'd give this whole blog thing a try!  We have several friends who blog frequently, and I enjoy checking in on them from time to time.  Joe LOVES to encourage others through scripture, and I LOVE to share about the things going on with our family, so I hope you will check in on us every now and then to see what is new with us and to be encouraged from the Word of God.  I don't imagine I'll be as diligent as some of you "bloggers," but I will try to update every week or so.

The Lord is certainly at work in our lives, every moment, every day.  His redeeming love in our lives is so precious and so evident.  It blesses my heart to watch my children grow, and I see the mercies of the Lord every day in them. We are homeschooling Erin in preschool this year, and she is the best student.  She is eager to learn and has an enthusiasm for life that inspires me as I teach her.  We began with the letter L this week, and I have received tremendous support from our home school community here and from several awesome blogs of other home school moms. She is very active and has a huge imagination.  And as long as Mommy is with her, she loves church, dance and gymnastics.  She has a sweet, sweet spirit, a huge heart for others, and a very strong will.  As we redirect her, it is a blessing to see her will soften, and she has a genuine desire to do well and to do right.  She is motherly and tender to little ones (besides her brother) and is enjoying helping me care for her "NeNe" (more about that later).

Bodie is fifteen months old.  In some ways he seems so much older than that.  In other ways, he is still so much a precious little baby. :)  He loves balls and cars and hammers and to bang things.  He loves to make messes, help clean them up, and wear peoples' shoes.  He's the "bull in the china cabinet" and climbs anything that seems a bit dangerous.  His fear instinct is either undeveloped or completely absent, and if he does not get what he wants, he communicates loudly and clearly!  He is also a cuddle bug, has the most adorable laugh, and is confident, smart, and funny.  He is a joy, a challenge, a blessing.

Joe is an amazing pastor and shepherd of our church, and his days and nights consist of all different forms of ministries.  He is passionate about the Lord, and he is passionate about teaching others about the Word of God.  He deserves the World's Greatest Father award, hands down, and our children adore him.  He has truly put the Word into practice with them.  When he has a chance, he still loves to go "hit the white ball" with friends to encourage and be encouraged by other men of God.  I am so grateful he has them in his life.

As for me, I love being a mom.  I love teaching my children.  I love teaching the children at church.  We have good days, we have bad days, and we have a lot of great days.  I rely on the Lord to make it through all of them.  I have the amazing privilege during the days to take care of Joe's precious mom who has terminal cancer.  Each morning, I just pack up the kiddos, school, snacks, and the things we'll need for the day and head over to her house, and we do all the things we would have done at home there.  I think she enjoys seeing the kids' school lessons and watching them play, and they enjoy spending time with her.  She has shown me how to die with grace, and I cherish -- savor -- embrace this sacred time we have with her.  Having this experience, I have learned that death, as difficult as it is, is a sacred and holy time and a time I have learned to be truly grateful for.  For the Christian, the Bible says there is no "sting" in death and there is nothing to fear;  only in death (because of Jesus) there is victory, completion, and perfection.  It's what we as Christians all strive for -- the Voice of the Father saying "Well done."

Thanks for reading;  thanks for caring;  thanks for loving us.  We love you, too. :)